Fire
Hydrant Safety Program Brings a Real Fire Truck and a Model
Fire Hydrant to Kids in Washington Heights

Date:

Monday, August 22nd

Time:

Starts at 1:30 PM

Place:

In front of the Washington Heights Library
1000 St. Nicholas Avenue @ West 160 th Street

A group of 30 or more six- and seven-year-olds will
gather in front of the Washington Heights Library for a fun program
about fire hydrant safety. An FDNY firetruck will be on hand as
a Fire Department representative tells the kids about what it’s
like to be a firefighter. Then the kids will see the Department
of Environmental Protection’s life-size cutaway model of
a fire hydrant. The emphasis all along will be to teach the kids
about the dangers of open fire hydrants and how to use fire hydrants
safely.

Open hydrants waste water, and illegally opened hydrants can
leave whole neighborhoods with low water pressure. Children can
also be at risk from the powerful force of a open hydrant, which
can push them into oncoming traffic.

Hydrants can be opened legally if equipped with a City-approved
spray cap. One illegally opened hydrant wastes up to 1,000 gallons
of water per minute, while a hydrant with a spray cap only puts
out around 25 gallons per minute. Spray caps can be obtained by
an adult 18 or over, free of charge, at local fire houses. The
penalty for opening a hydrant without a spray cap is $500.

To report illegally opened hydrants or other water or sewer complaints,
call the City’s 24-hour help line at 311.